Discuss the meaning of power and powerlessness as it applies to Oedipus.

LENGTH: 700-850 words (about 3 double spaced pages. 12 point font.)
Consider the Aristotelian definition of a tragedy and a tragic hero and consider how they apply to the play and
the character. Aristotle believed that plot was the primary element in tragedy, and the plot must follow these
four principles: 1) The plot must be a whole, with a beginning, middle, and end; 2) The plot must be internally
whole, with incidents relating to each other and not interrupted by a deus ex machina or completed by a
coincidence; 3) The plot must reflect a serious treatment in terms of its complexity and universal appeal; and
4) The plot should not only include a change of fortune for the central character, but also some reversal or
surprise and a recognition within that character of his/her changed status that brings about knowledge.
Consider how the character of Oedipus fits Aristotles definition of a tragic hero: 1) neither completely good or
bad; 2) of high stature; 3) suffers a change in fortune due to a tragic mistake (hamartia) of some kindmost
often through hubris; and 4) has a moment of truth or insight into his tragic flaw and what it has taught him.
1) Is Oedipus a helpless victim of fate, or were there ever times when he could have acted to prevent his
downfall? Was Oedipus made to do what the oracle had prophesied, or is he responsible for his own destiny?
2) Discuss the meaning of power and powerlessness as it applies to Oedipus. Consider the following
questions: What is his blindness symbolic of? Is he powerless by his blindness, or is his newfound blindness a
powerful means for him to finally understand his own fate? Which Oedipus is more powerful: the one who
didnt know his fate (at the beginning of the play), or the one who now knows (by the end of the play)? 3) In
what sense may Oedipus be regarded as a better, though less fortunate, man at the end of the play? What has
he gained from his experience? 4) In many works of literature a character has a misconception of himself or his
world. Destroying or perpetuating this illusion contributes to a central theme of the work. Which characters in
Oedipus Rex could be examined through this lens? Discuss what the characters illusion is and how it differs
from reality, and then explain how the destruction or perpetuation of the illusion contributes to the meaning of
the work.

Last Completed Projects